Written Answers to Questions
Tuesday 1 February 2011
International Development
Burma: Poverty
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of levels of poverty in Burma. [36789]
Mr Duncan: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Congleton (Fiona Bruce), on 31 January 2011, Official Report, columns 611-12W.
Burma: Trade Unions
Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department has provided to trade unions from Burma in the latest period for which figures are available. [36790]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided no funding to trade unions from Burma.
Latin America: Overseas Aid
Mr Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the Latin American Programme will be put out to tender in 2011; and if he will make a statement. [36961]
Mr Duncan: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) bilateral programme in Latin America has contracted over the past decade. The current programme of financial support to UK non-governmental organisations (NGOs) through the Latin America Partnership Programme Arrangement will end in March 2011. This programme was developed as part of DFID's graduation strategy from the region. DFID will not be extending this support after completion of the current programme.
From April 2011, DFID will continue to support work in Latin America through contributions to multilateral organisations, including the Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank, European Commission and UN. DFID will also support a research programme focusing on lesson learning to ensure that other parts of the world can benefit from the development experience in Latin America.
Northern Ireland
Departmental Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what regulations his Department has introduced since 6 May 2010; [37366]
(2) what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010. [37372]
Mr Paterson: My Department has made six statutory instruments since 6 May 2010. These are as follows:
1. The Electoral Law (Polling Station Scheme) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1532);
2. The Control of Donations and Regulation of Loans etc. (Extension of the Prescribed Period) (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2061);
3. The Northern Ireland Assembly Members Act 2010 (Commencement) Order 2010 (SI 2010/1726 (C.90));
4. The Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2977);
5. The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) (Amendment) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2892);
6. The Northern Ireland Assembly (Minimum Period) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2944).
A seventh is awaiting approval-the Control of Donations and Regulation of Loans etc. (Extension of the Prescribed Period) (Northern Ireland) Order 2011.
My Department has responsibilities chiefly on constitutional, electoral and national security fields; they do not generally concern business regulation.
In terms of repeals, the Electoral Law (Polling Station Scheme) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2010 revoked and replaced the Electoral Law (Polling Station Schemes) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1972 and the Polling Station Schemes (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1976.
Culture, Media and Sport
Arts: Job Creation
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will establish a cross-Government group working in partnership with the private sector to develop a jobs and growth strategy for the creative industries. [37447]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: Potential opportunities and barriers to growth in this sector are being considered as part of the cross-Government digital and creative industries growth review. As part of this, we are working in partnership with stakeholders and industry to address these challenges.
British Sky Broadcasting
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has discussed the proposed acquisition of BSkyB by News Corporation with (a) the Prime Minister and (b) officials or special advisers working for the Prime Minister since (i) the date he assumed ministerial responsibility for the policy area and (ii) the date he received the Ofcom report on the proposed acquisition. [37715]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: As set out in the Enterprise Act 2002 I have to make the decision about the News Corporation BSkyB bid in a quasi judicial role. Therefore neither I nor my Department's officials or special advisers have consulted the Prime Minister or any officials or political advisers working for the Prime Minister on this decision.
Mr Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether any officials or special advisers in his Department have discussed the proposed acquisition of BSkyB by News Corporation with officials or political advisers working for the Prime Minister since the date on which he received the Ofcom report on the proposed acquisition. [37730]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: As set out in the Enterprise Act 2002 I have to make the decision about the News Corporation BSkyB bid in a quasi judicial role. Therefore neither I nor my Department's officials or special advisers have consulted any officials or political advisers working for the Prime Minister on this decision.
Broadband
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the effects on levels of digital inclusion of the revised timetable for the provision of universal broadband. [37286]
Mr Vaizey [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The Government's approach to broadband is to drive the rollout of superfast broadband to as much of the country as possible and to deliver at least a decent level of broadband access to virtually everybody as part of that commitment. That approach is underpinned by the work that BDUK conducted over summer 2010 examining the choice of cost effective solutions available to provide a minimum level of coverage to all premises without access to at least 2 MBps. Among the conclusions of that exercise was that a universal service commitment should not be seen as separate from the superfast broadband objective, but rather an integral part of pushing next generation networks deep into rural Britain. The £530 million allocated to support broadband rollout up to 2015 will help the UK achieve its aim of having the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015.
Martha Lane Fox was re-appointed in June 2010, as the UK Digital Champion to champion the work to get everyone online and challenge the Government to go further on developing better quality, efficient online public services. The Government are committed to getting as many people as possible online by the end of the Olympic year, 2012.
Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport on what date he expects the criteria for application to the next round of Broadband UK funding pilots to be published. [37594]
Mr Vaizey: No specific date has been set. Broadband Delivery UK is working with local authorities throughout the UK to give them guidance on how to apply for the next round where bids will be invited from April 2011.
Communications and Creative Industries
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the oral answer of 20 January 2011 to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Official Report, column 1001, what measure the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries used when he described the UK economy under the previous administration as bankrupted. [36944]
Mr Vaizey: My use of the term 'bankrupted' was measured by the fact that when the previous Administration public sector net borrowing in 2009-10 was £156 billion or 11.1% of GDP, the highest level in UK post-war history. The Government were borrowing one pound for every four they spent.
Departmental Regulation
Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010. [37404]
John Penrose [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The following statutory instruments sponsored by the Department have been revoked since 6 May 2010:
The Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (England) Order 2010 revoked The Ecclesiastical Exemption (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (England) Order 2004;
The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces (Amendment) (No.2) etc. Regulations 2010 revoked The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces (Amendment) etc. Regulations 2010;
The Welsh Language (Gambling and Licensing Form) Regulations 2010 revoked The Welsh Language (Gambling and Licensing Form) Order 2007.
The first and third instruments are replaced by similar regimes provided for by the revoking instrument. The second instrument revokes provisions permitting charging for parking in Richmond and Bushey parks.
Football
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what data his Department holds on injuries sustained at football stadia by standing spectators. [36331]
Hugh Robertson: The Department does not hold the information requested centrally.
The Football Licensing Authority (FLA) are responsible for ensuring that all spectators are able to attend sports grounds in safety, comfort and security through means of guidance, assistance and monitoring.
I have asked the chief executive of the FLA to write directly to the hon. Member for Hove. Copies of the response will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Football: Anti-Semitism
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent reports he has received of incidence of anti-Semitism in football; what steps he has (a) taken and (b) plans to take to monitor this issue; what recent (i) meetings and (ii) representations he has received from (A) the Football Association and (B) representatives of the Jewish community on the issue; what response he gave; and if he will make a statement. [36709]
Hugh Robertson: While I have received no recent representations or held any recent meetings on the issue of tackling anti-Semitism in football, I remain fully committed to a sporting landscape free from all forms of discrimination. There is no place in sport for prejudice of any kind and Sport England and the Football Authorities are working together to tackle the problem.
If it occurs, anti-Semitic or racialist chanting of any kind is an offence under section 3 of the Football (Offences) Act 1991, though this is a matter for the police and courts to determine on each case's merits.
News Corporation
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of his meetings with News Corporation on 7 and 20 January 2011. [37026]
Mr Jeremy Hunt: I wish to continue to be as open as possible while respecting confidential and commercial interests. It would not be appropriate to do so whilst the process is ongoing but I will publish all relevant documentation, including minutes of meetings, as soon as I am able.
Ofcom: Public Appointments
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what reports he has received on the future employment of the Director of Technology Resources at Ofcom; and if he will make a statement. [37727]
Mr Vaizey: I have not received any such reports.
John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will discuss with Ofcom a review of its consultation document on Implementing Geolocation following the forthcoming departure from his post of Ofcom's Director of Technology Resources; and if he will make a statement. [37728]
Mr Vaizey: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is directly accountable to Parliament. I am not aware of any reason why it would be appropriate to review the consultation on Implementing Geolocation.
Olympic Delivery Authority: North East
Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many bids for contracts the Olympic Delivery Authority has received from companies based in the North East; which such bids were successful; and what the monetary value is of each such contract. [36683]
Hugh Robertson: As of December 2010, 21 companies in the North East are directly supplying the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), with a total spend to date of £9,644,108.
Data from the ODA's eTendering system, covering procurements with an estimated value in excess of £25,000, shows that a total of 46 bids (or Pre Qualification Questionnaire applications) have been submitted by companies based in the North East.
The ODA was established in April 2006 and set up its eTendering system in February 2007. Tenders under £25,000 are not tracked through the ODA's central procurement system. To establish where firms are based for tenders before February 2007 or under £25,000 would incur a disproportionate cost.
The ODA Information on businesses that have directly supplied the ODA is available in the business section of the London 2012 website under the heading ODA suppliers, where you will be able to find suppliers listed by venue and sector:
These figures only account for the contracts awarded by the ODA to its own top tier of contractors (tier one contractors). The figures do not include the values of contracts further down the supply chain, in tiers two, three and so on, which are awarded by the tier one contractors and not by the ODA. For example, steelworks for the Olympic Stadium was provided by Geoffrey Maskell Engineering in Durham, and Newcastle based International Paint have supplied paint to the Aquatics Centre. The ODA estimates that the total value of supply chain contracts to the regions runs into hundreds of millions of pounds, but these are not public procurements and so the full value of contracts won across the UK is not captured by the figures provided. The ODA estimates that overall up to 50,000 contracts will be generated throughout its supply chains.
Olympic Games 2012: Cycling
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage more people to cycle to work as part of the Olympic legacy. [36838]
Hugh Robertson: The Department has overall responsibility for the sport of cycling, and responsibility for growing the sport rests with Sport England. Sport England provides funding to the sport's National Governing Body, British Cycling, to increase participation through its Whole Sport Plan and to contribute to the creation of a lasting sporting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
While the Department has no specific plans to encourage more people to cycle to work as part of the Olympic legacy, we will continue to work with the Department for Transport to create as many opportunities as possible to increase the number of people cycling, whether that be as a means of active travel or as a means of participating in sport.
Olympic Games 2012: Flags
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what his policy is on the flying of flags from Government buildings during the London 2012 Olympics. [36865]
John Penrose [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The guidance on flying flags on UK Government buildings is available at:
At this stage, we have no plans to change this guidance for the Olympics and Paralympics.
Piers: Public Finance
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the merits of making public funds available to rebuild or maintain seaside piers that have fallen into disrepair. [36914]
John Penrose: In the current fiscal climate, we have not considered making additional public funds available, but some listed piers may be eligible to apply to English Heritage for funding, who also contribute advice as part of their planning responsibilities, and from the Heritage Lottery Fund, where a strong case can be made for public benefit. In addition, some pier restoration projects in private ownership have been successful without public funding, for example Weston Grand Pier. The new 'community right to buy' provisions in the Localism Bill will give local groups a legal right to bid for and take over the running of threatened community assets which includes piers.
Sport England: Olympic Games 2012
Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to work with Sport England to prepare to increase participation in sport after the London 2012 Olympics. [36837]
Hugh Robertson: I asked Sport England to work with DCMS to develop the Places People Play mass participation Olympic legacy programme. Places People Play was launched on 15 November 2010 and will help to upgrade sports facilities, protect playing fields and create the sporting opportunities and challenges to encourage people of all abilities up and down the country to get into sport-whether that be as a participant, leader or volunteer.
Women and Equalities
Females: Corporate Boards
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what steps she plans to take to increase the number of women on corporate boards. [37259]
Lynne Featherstone: Lord Davies has been appointed by the Government to look at how obstacles can be removed to allow more women to make it to corporate boards. We look forward to his recommendations for a business led strategy and we will respond in due course.
Measures that we are taking such as flexible working and parental leave provision will also help address some of the barriers to progression that women face in the workplace.
Government Equalities Office
Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what regulations the Government Equalities Office has introduced since 6 May 2010. [37363]
Lynne Featherstone: The majority of the Equality Act 2010 was brought into force by a Commencement Order on 1 October 2010. This Act consolidated and replaced nine major pieces of legislation and many other pieces of ancillary legislation. 20 Statutory Instruments relating to the Equality Act 2010 have now been made and published and are listed on the Government Equalities Office website, at the following link, which also makes clear the purpose of each:
Decisions about outstanding measures and future secondary legislation will be made and announced in due course.
Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what regulations the Government Equalities Office has removed since 6 May 2010. [37388]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office (GEO) has not removed any regulations since 6 May 2010. However, the Government announced on 17 November 2010 that they had decided not to implement the socio-economic duty contained in the Equality Act 2010 as this was considered to be an unnecessary burden.
Transport
A11: Repairs and Maintenance
Simon Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the dualling of the A11 between Thetford and the Fiveways improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement. [37226]
Mike Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport's statement of 26 October 2010, Official Report, columns 177-179, on Investment in Highway and Local Transport Schemes identified the A11 Fiveways to Thetford scheme as one on which the Highways Agency would start works before 2015, subject to the completion of statutory processes.
Departmental Official Cars
Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what expenditure his Department has incurred on Government Car Service cars since May 2010. [37411]
Mike Penning: The Department for Transport has spent £132,522.50 (excluding VAT) on Government Car Service cars since May 2010. The total cost includes expenditure on the allocated car service provided to Ministers, expenditure on Ministerial Car Pool services and occasional use of car services for Government officials in place of using taxis.
The Ministerial Code published in May 2010 stated that the number of Ministers entitled to an allocated car and driver would be kept to a minimum with other Ministers using a car from the Ministerial Car Pool as needed.
Due to contractual obligations the Department was not able to put the new arrangements into place until September 2010, when the new Ministerial Car Pool service was introduced.
Driving Standards Agency: Cardiff
Mr Hain: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the Secretary of State for Wales was not involved in the decision to close the Cardiff office of the Driving Standards Agency. [35042]
Mike Penning [holding answer 20 January 2011]: The closure of the DSA Cardiff office is an operational matter for the DSA. The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Wales on a range of issues affecting Wales, including the restructuring of the Driving Standards Agency.
We will continue to have such discussions regarding the proposed closure of the Cardiff DSA office throughout the consultation period but this remains an operational matter for the Driving Standards Agency.
As an inquiry has been launched into how documents relating to the proposals were leaked it would be inappropriate to give any further detail on discussions or correspondence.
Electric Vehicles
Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made an assessment of the extent of regional variation in the uptake of electric cars; and what plans he has to encourage uptake in areas which have reported lower sales. [36920]
Norman Baker: The nationwide Plug-In Car Grant was launched successfully on 1 January 2011 and will help both private consumers and businesses across the UK purchase an electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen-fuelled car. We will monitor this developing market closely, including any regional variations.
The Department for Transport has committed to publishing the number of new registrations of ultra low emission vehicles on an annual basis.
Great Western Railway: Electrification
Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the funding required for the upgrade of the Great Western Main Line between London Paddington and (a) Bristol, (b) Newport, (c) Cardiff, (d) Swansea and (e) lines west of Swansea his Department is required to meet. [35017]
Mrs Villiers: The current programme of work to renew and upgrade the Great Western Main Line, along with the necessary financing, is undertaken by Network Rail. The expenditure is placed on the Regulatory Asset Base of that undertaking.
High Speed Trains: Property
Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the monetary value of (a) reductions in property prices and (b) reductions in the area of usable farmland arising from the construction of High Speed Two. [35978]
Mr Philip Hammond: It is not possible to accurately estimate the value of reductions in property prices arising from the construction of a new high speed rail line at this stage. This is because of the difficulty of making accurate predictions now about the property market response to a line which market would not be built and operational until 2026.
Estimates of the amount of farmland which will need to be acquired in order to construct a new line will be included in the appraisal of sustainability, which will be published as part of the high speed rail consultation in February.
Highways Agency: Manpower
John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the likely employee headcount at the Highways Agency at the end of (a) 2010-11 and (b) each of the three subsequent financial years. [35142]
Mike Penning: The Highways Agency's current estimate is that its total headcount will have reduced from 3872 full-time equivalent staff as at the end of April 2010 to 3,569 by the end of this financial year.
We are currently in the process of developing our plans for achieving further savings during the spending review 2010 period and therefore do not yet have estimates for the number of staff in post at the end of the next three financial years as requested.
HM Coastguard: Training
Mr MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 24 January 2011, Official Report, column 83W, on HM Coastguard: manpower, how many people HM Coastguard has trained in each year since 2001; and how many of those trained remained in employment with HM Coastguard for more than one year after the conclusion of initial training. [36863]
Mike Penning [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The number of people who have received initial Coastguard training since 2001, and the number who have remained in employment with HM Coastguard for more than one year after they have successfully completed their training for the period 2003 to 2009 is set out in the following table.
| Total trained | Total who passed their training and remained employed | |
Further to my answer of 24 January 2011, Official Report, column 83W, in respect of 2001 and 2002, the data are incomplete and not in a readily accessible format.
A full year has not passed since the majority of Coastguard courses ran in 2010, however the number of people who have received initial Coastguard training is 39, and the number remaining is 36 to date.
Intercity Express Programme Review
John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which companies his Department has contracted to carry out consultancy work on the Intercity Express Programme; what the total monetary value is of each such contract; and how much each such company has been paid to date. [33379]
Mrs Villiers
[holding answer 18 January 2011]: From the start of financial year 2005-06 until approximately 30 April 2010, the amount paid to companies carrying out consultancy work, rail industry advice, legal, financial, business case, technical, project management and procurement advice associated with both the Intercity Express and Great Western Electrification Programmes under the previous administration is as follows. These
figures include the time spent by companies in response to Foster Review queries and expenses such as travel and meeting room hire, and exclude VAT and payments to individuals.
| £ | |
For the period from 3 May 2010 until 11 January 2011 the figures are as follows. Most of these costs constitute time spent by companies in response to Foster Review queries, and the continuation of the Great Western Electrification Programme.
| £ | |
The Department for Transport currently has live contracts with the following companies. The monetary amounts set out represent the maximum total authorised spend, not the amount remaining for each. As such, much of the work under these contract has already been carried out and invoiced for, and is included within the amounts in the previous tables.
| £ | |
Network Rail
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to increase the democratic accountability of Network Rail; and if he will make a statement. [34968]
Mrs Villiers: The Government are committed to ensuring that Network Rail is properly accountable to its customers. As the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) announced in his statement of 7 December 2010, Official Report, columns 15-18WS, on the future of the rail industry, the Department for Transport is currently working with the rail industry to devise a package of possible reforms, which could include reform of current industry governance arrangements. A further announcement will be made in due course.
Network Rail: Land
Mr Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the value of land held by Network Rail which is surplus to railway requirements; whether he is taking steps to reduce such landholdings; and if he will make a statement. [33973]
Mrs Villiers: The circumstances under which Network Rail can sell or otherwise dispose of its operational land are set out in Condition 7 of its network licence, monitored and enforced by the independent Office of Rail Regulation. The purpose of the licence condition is to ensure that those parts of the Network Rail property portfolio which may be required for the future development of the railway, are retained for that purpose.
Where consent is given by the Office of Rail Regulation, the decisions on whether, when and how the land should be disposed of are commercial ones for Network Rail. Network Rail is encouraged by the Office of Rail Regulation to maximise its income from all sources over each five-year funding period. This particularly includes the redevelopment of its land and property. Income generated by the company from sale on development of land and property assets is reinvested in the network.
Railways: Freight
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish government on improving rail freight links between Scotland and England. [36355]
Mrs Villiers: The Department for Transport has had no recent discussions with Transport Scotland specifically focussed on this issue.
Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve rail freight links between Scotland and England. [36356]
Mrs Villiers: Funding of and enhancement to the rail network in Scotland is a devolved matter for the Scottish Administration. In the last three years record levels of rail freight investment have been announced to support continued growth of the network in England and Wales, including £200 million towards the development of a Strategic Freight Network and over £150 million towards the provision of infrastructure enhancement for freight through the Productivity Transport Innovation Fund. This includes funding for enhancement to a section of the east coast main line which links England with Scotland.
Railways: High Speed Trains
Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what cost benefit analysis he has undertaken of the proposed high speed rail link between London and Leeds. [36659]
Mr Philip Hammond: High level assessments of the economic case for several national high speed rail network options, each with links to Leeds, were contained in HS2 Ltd's report published in March 2010. In October 2010 I published HS2 Ltd's comparative economic case of two initial high speed rail network options, again, each with links to Leeds. The work on the Government's preferred initial network will be updated as part of the forthcoming consultation.
The work already published suggests a link to Leeds is likely to be a strong part of the economic and strategic cases for high speed rail. HS2 Ltd is undertaking more detailed work on the economic case for the Leeds leg as part of the route engineering study which will report to me by December.
Rescue Services
Mr Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an estimate of the expected savings to the public purse over the next 10 years of his proposals to reform HM Coastguard. [35060]
Mike Penning: Based on implementation of the modernisation proposals outlined in the consultation document 'Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century' it is envisaged that savings of around £60 million could be made over 10 years following the commencement of transition.
Sea Rescue
Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 18 January 2011, Official Report, column 664W, on sea rescue, what the name was of each member of the team; what relevant experience each such member had prior to their appointment; and what criteria were used to select them. [37018]
Mike Penning [holding answer 31 January 2011]: As stated in my answer of 18 January 2011, Official Report, column 664W, the proposals set out in the consultation document represent the collective, corporate position of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and its chief executive, Sir Alan Massey.
It would be wholly inappropriate to name individually the full range of MCA and Department for Transport civil servants who have contributed to the development of these proposals over several years, or who were involved in the final creation of the consultation document.
Trust Ports: Finance
Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether trust port borrowing is scored against his Department's balance sheet; and whether such borrowing is covered by his Department's capital departmental expenditure limit. [35345]
Mike Penning:
Borrowing by the major trust ports in England and Wales scores on the Department for Transport's capital departmental expenditure limit
because the major trust ports are classed as public corporations by the Office for National Statistics for the purposes of national accounts. However, public corporations fall outside the departmental accounting boundary and their borrowings are not included on the Department's balance sheet, as reported in the annual Department for Transport resource accounts.
Home Department
Alcoholic Drinks: Crime
Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many test purchases of alcohol in drinking establishments by under-age children were carried out in (a) Lincoln, (b) Lincolnshire and (c) England and Wales in each of the last five years; and how many such establishments were found to have sold alcohol to minors through such operations. [37734]
James Brokenshire: These figures are not collected centrally.
Antisocial Behaviour: Public Houses
Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers are available to local residents to address inappropriate behaviour from people outside public houses. [36953]
James Brokenshire: There are a number of powers available to local authorities and the police to tackle various types of inappropriate behaviour from people outside public houses. These include introducing a designated public places order, where individuals can be stopped from consuming alcohol in a public place, powers to direct individuals to leave an area if they are contributing to alcohol related antisocial behaviour and noise abatement notices which can be issued by the local authority.
Additionally, any resident living in the vicinity of the premises, can apply to the local authority to call for a review of the premises licence. This will enable the licensing committee to attach further conditions if it considers it necessary to do so, to the licence, to address the problems being caused by people outside of the premises. These could include for example conditions on the smoking area of the public house, or not allowing anyone to re-enter the premises once they have gone outside.
Additionally, we are proposing to amend the Licensing Act to ensure that the licensing authority has more powers to refuse to grant licences to, or to revoke licences from premises which cause problems for their local community. We are also proposing to remove the 'vicinity test' so that anyone can make relevant representations about a licensed premises, and have their concerns addressed by the licensing authority.
Bank Cards: Fraud
Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on combating bank card fraud; and if she will make a statement. [37488]
James Brokenshire: The Government are determined to tackle all types of fraud which is one of the reasons why we are creating a new Economic Crime Agency which will help to provide a new focus on complex economic crime.
Figures published by the payments industry in October 2010 showed that card fraud losses in the first six months of 2010 fell by 20% compared with the same period in 2009. This was the lowest half year total for 10 years.
The Home Office continues to work closely with the payments industry including actively supporting the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit, a specialist police unit funded by the payments industry which investigates cheque and plastic card fraud where there is an element of organised criminal activity. The Home Office provides additional funding to the City of London Police to carry out a lead force role in the investigation of serious and complex fraud throughout the country and also providing training and support to other forces which may also be investigating fraud. The City of London Police has also developed the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau through which law enforcement, private and public sector organisations share data about confirmed fraud.
Home Office Ministers and officials have regular meetings with law enforcement and industry partners to discuss fraud-related matters.
Crime: Maps
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans her Department has to encourage members of the public to make greater use of its CrimeMapper facility. [36931]
Nick Herbert: The Government are committed to making the work of the police more transparent and to replacing bureaucratic accountability with democratic accountability.
Key to this is providing the public with easy access to information on crime and policing in their local area. This is why the Government have just launched street level crime data and maps which, for the first time, will enable communities across England and Wales to see what crime and antisocial behaviour has happened on their streets.
Departmental Carbon Emissions
Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps her Department has taken to reduce its carbon emissions to meet the target of reducing central Government carbon emissions by 10 per cent. by June 2011. [36614]
Damian Green: The Home Office has a range of initiatives under way in order to meet the 10% target. Measures have included:
Reductions in the size of the estate
Improving heating, cooling and lighting controls and fittings;
Replacing/removing inefficient equipment;
Implementing good housekeeping measures;
Greening ICT; and
Raising staff awareness.
The Department produces and makes public the progress made and measures taken to deliver the target. This can be found at:
Departmental Marketing
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available. [37238]
Damian Green: There has been no central spend on Department branded drinks coasters by the Home Office or its agencies. However, it is possible that individual teams may have commissioned such items on a small scale or for specific campaigns. A full search through our financial records for this information would be at disproportionate cost.
Deportation: Human Rights
Mr Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011, Official Report, column 131W, on Deportation: human rights, for what reasons removal cases considered under (a) Article 3 and (b) Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights are not separately recorded on the Case Information Database used by the UK Border Agency; and if she will make a statement. [37231]
Damian Green [holding answer 31 January 2011]: Removal cancellations categories are recorded on the Central Information Database, such as 'Medical Issues' or 'Further Representations'. However the level of detail required to indicate whether representations relating to either article 3 or article 8 of the European convention caused the cancellation is not recorded.
That level of detail has never previously been identified as information necessary for the management of removals performance.
Domestic Violence: Immigrants
Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has for the future of the Sojourner Fund pilot from March 2011; and if she will make a statement. [37570]
Damian Green: The Home Office pilot project for victims of domestic violence with no recourse to public funds commenced in November 2009. In the strategic narrative 'Call to End Violence against Women and Girls' on 25 November 2010, the Home Secretary confirmed her intention to ensure that the Home Office continue to fund support for women in the UK on spouse visas who are victims of domestic violence until an effective and sustainable permanent solution is established.
The Home Office has confirmed that funding will be available for the pilot to continue into financial year 2011-12 and that work on a long-term solution continues.
Drugs: Misuse
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which voluntary organisations working to prevent drug misuse her Department funded in 2010-11; and how much funding was provided in each case. [32097]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 20 December 2010]: The Home Office provides funding to voluntary, community group, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations through the Positive Futures programme, a community based prevention programme targeting vulnerable 10 to 19-year-olds at risk of drug and alcohol misuse or crime in 91 areas. While the programme has a wider agenda, work delivered locally may include elements of drug prevention.
The Department has funded 53 VCSE projects in 2010-11 to deliver Positive Futures in their local communities. The organisations and their grant allocations for 2010-11 are set out in the following table. The remaining 38 projects are local authority run but some do involve the VCSE in delivery of some aspects of their work such as the provision of activities or accredited training or learning programmes.
In addition, Drug Interventions Programme funding to local partnerships to manage drug misusing offenders is used by some partnerships to fund VCSE organisations. This may include some elements of prevention but the Home Office does not monitor which organisations are contracted locally to deliver services nor the services that they provide.
| Voluntary, community and social enterprise organisation | Positive Futures project | Positive Futures grant allocation for 2010-11 (£) |
Mr Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether her Department has (a) undertaken or (b) evaluated research on (i) harm caused by drugs and (ii) harm caused by the criminalisation of drugs. [36867]
James Brokenshire [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The Home Office has undertaken a number of research and analytical projects in recent years into the harms caused by drugs.
The Department developed the drug harm index (DHI) in 2005 to measure the harms generated by illegal drug use in order to measure progress against a previous public service agreement target. This combined national indicators of various drug-related harms including those related to drug-related crime, community perceptions of drug problems, drug nuisance, and the various health
consequences that arise from drug abuse (e.g. HIV, overdoses, deaths etc.) into a single figure time-series index. Results from the DHI were published for the period 2002 (the baseline year) to 2006.
The Home Office has produced an estimate of the social and economic costs of Class A drug use for the reference year 2003-04 taking into account a range of quantifiable harms. This was published in 2006.
More recently the Home Office undertook a national evaluation of drug treatment in England which found that drug treatment is effective in reducing the harms associated with problem drug use. This was published in 2009. Additionally, in 2010, the Home Office published research on the perceptions of the social harms associated with use of khat.
(ii) The Home Office has not undertaken or evaluated any research into any harm caused by the criminalisation of drugs.
References:
Macdonald, Z. et al (2005) 'Measuring the harm from illegal drugs using the Drug Harm Index' Home Office Online Report 24/05.
Singleton, N. et al (2006) 'Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments' Home Office Online Report 16/06.
Donmall, M et al (2009) 'Summary of key findings from the Drug Treatment Outcomes Research Study (DTORS)' Home Office Research Report 23.
Crime and Drugs Analysis and Research Programme (2009) 'Measuring the harm from illegal drugs: a summary of the Drug Harm Index 2006.' Home Office Research Report 13.
Sykes, W et al (2010) 'Perceptions of the social harms associated with khat use' Home Office Research Report 44.
Dr Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many substances are controlled under the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; and how many (a) arrests, (b) prosecutions and (c) convictions there have been in respect of each substance in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [37276]
James Brokenshire: The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (1971 Act), controls in excess of 250 drugs by reference to their standard chemical nomenclature. In addition, simple derivatives from these drugs such as the esters, salts and stereoisomers are covered under the 1971 Act and in particular cases, generic definitions have been used to cover compounds relating to a controlled drug.
The information requested on arrests is not collected centrally and cannot be broken down to the specific offence required.
The arrests collection held by the Home Office is based on aggregated data and covers persons arrested for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, by age group, gender, ethnicity, police force area and main offence group, for example violence against the person, sexual offences, robbery, burglary and drugs offences. From these centrally reported categories it is not possible to separately identify specific drug offences.
The defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by drug type(1), England and Wales, 2009(2, 3, 4) can be found in the following table.
| Defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for drug offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, by drug type( 1) , England and Wales, 2009( 2, 3, 4) | ||
| Drug type | Proceeded against | Found guilty |
| (1) Only those offences are given in the table where the drug type is specified in the statute. (2 )The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (4) The number of defendants found guilty in a particular year may exceed the number proceeded against as the proceedings in the magistrates court took place in an earlier year and the defendants were found guilty at the Crown court in the following year; or the defendants were found guilty of a different offence to that for which they were originally proceeded against. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice | ||
Forensic Science
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with private sector suppliers of forensic science on their financial viability. [37113]
James Brokenshire: The financial viability of forensic suppliers was assessed as part of the procurement for the National Forensic Framework Agreement and continues to be monitored as part of the contract management process of the National Forensic Framework. Furthermore, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) have been and continue to engage with forensics suppliers as part of the transition programme, and appropriate due diligence will take place for any transfers of contracts and capacity from the Forensic Science Service.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effects on the objectivity of advice provided to police forces on forensic science of the provision of such services in-house. [37114]
James Brokenshire:
The evidential value and integrity of forensic exhibits is tested under the intense scrutiny of the courts from the point of collection, through
analysis and to interpretation and reporting. Each step in the process must be able to withstand these critical reviews. The Forensic Science Regulator is working closely with the police, the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), the private and public sector (Scottish and Irish laboratories) suppliers of forensic science services to produce a single quality standards framework that applies to all those organisations involved in varying stages of the forensic processes. The NPIA provide up to date advice and guidance through their own forensic experts and the ACPO-led Forensics 21 Programme, which has a performance and standards group chaired by DCC John Fletcher, Bedfordshire police.
Police forces have their own forensic practitioners who support each other through 'expert panels' facilitated by the NPIA, and on many occasions take advice from the private sector suppliers. The police have ready access to different sources of reliable advice, as well as their own in-house knowledge and expertise.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will establish standards for forensic science investigations following the wind-down of the Forensic Science Service. [37115]
James Brokenshire: The Forensic Science Regulator was appointed to set and monitor quality standards in forensic science across the board; he is working closely with the police, the National Policing Improvement Agency and the private sector laboratories to develop a single quality standards framework. The regulator is a member of the Forensic Science Service Transition Board and will monitor the movement of forensic science services to ensure that quality standards are maintained. All the private sector forensic science laboratories across the UK work to demanding quality standards and are accredited against BS/EN ISO 17025 (General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories) by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. This is the standard adopted by the Forensic Science Regulator for forensic science laboratory functions and is a requirement of the police contracts with the laboratories. ISO 17025 is also the standard being adopted by the police in-house fingerprint enhancement laboratories with an NPIA-led project to co-ordinate the adoption of the standard by all police forces, in line with the European Union framework decision which mandates it, by 2015.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library a copy of her assessment of the future development of the private sector forensic science market. [37116]
James Brokenshire: My written ministerial statement on Forensic Science of 14 December 2010, Official Report, columns 94-96WS, set out how we see the market developing. We want to see the UK forensic science market operating as a genuine market with private sector providers competing to provide innovative services at the lowest cost. It also set out our priority of continued provision of effective forensics.
The police assessment is that the external forensics market will continue to fall over the next few years, as forces seek to maximise efficiencies in this area. This advice, based on the advice from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Her Majesty's Inspectorate
of Constabulary (HMIC) and others, suggests that this market will reduce from £170 million in 2009 towards around £110 million by 2015.
Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the level of scientific innovation by the Forensic Science Service; and if she will make a statement. [37117]
James Brokenshire: Research and development in forensic science is essential to ensure the continued availability of a high quality, efficient, forensic science capability for the Criminal Justice System. Unfortunately the Forensic Science Service (FSS') financial difficulties had already limited the company's capacity for research and innovation. We are working closely with the police, the FSS, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and other forensics providers to look at how we can help the industry to build on existing expertise and continue the innovation for which the UK has become globally renowned.
As I announced on 27 January 2011, Official Report, column 21WS, in a written ministerial statement, the Home Office's chief scientific adviser, Professor Bernard Silverman, is to carry out a review of research and development in forensic science in the UK. The review will consult widely with forensic service providers and related organisations in the public and private sectors, academia and research funders, as well as issuing an open call for submissions of evidence. The review will also work closely with the National Policing Improvement Agency, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and police service customers.
Immigrants: Detainees
Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of persons currently detained under Immigration Act powers are (a) appealing against their detention and (b) making applications to remain in the UK. [36215]
Damian Green: The number of people currently detained under Immigration Act powers is 2,893. This is a snap shot taken on 25 January.
Persons detained may apply for bail either from the UK Border Agency or a court. The number of persons who have outstanding applications for bail is 407, which is 14% of those detained.
The number of people who are currently detained and are currently making an application to remain in the UK is 1,016 which represent 35% of those detained.
All figures quoted are internal management information only and are subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols.
Immigration Controls
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what timescale she has set for reviewing the salary threshold for Tier 2 immigration applications; [37136]
(2) what criteria her Department used in setting the salary threshold for Tier 2 migrants. [37137]
Damian Green [holding answer 31 January 2011]: Under the changes to Tier 2 announced by the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) on 23 November 2010, Official Report, columns 169-171, the minimum salary threshold for an intra-company transferee seeking admission to the United Kingdom for more than 12 months will rise to £40,000.
This is considered to be a salary level commensurate with type of worker we are obliged to admit as an intra-company transferee under the terms of the relevant international agreements by which the UK is bound.
Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on industry demand to recruit specialists, not available within the EU, prior to setting the new rules in respect of Tier 1 and Tier 2 migrants. [37139]
Damian Green [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The Secretary of State for the Home Department has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues, including the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, on a range of issues, and will continue to do so to develop and implement the Government's policies, including the measures set out in the Home Secretary's statement of 23 November 2010, Official Report, columns 169-171, on implementing limits on immigration.
Members: Correspondence
Mike Crockart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to respond to the letters from the hon. Member for Edinburgh West of 2 November and 20 December 2010 in regard to her constituent Mr Ronald Fraser. [36437]
Mr Lidington: I have been asked to reply.
The letter of 2 November 2010 to the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) from my hon. Friend was transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 26 January 2011. We will answer this letter as soon as possible.
Metropolitan Police
Mr Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effects of implementation of the provisions of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill on the night-time work of the Metropolitan Police Service. [37036]
James Brokenshire: The alcohol provisions in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill are designed to ensure that local communities have more of a say in the decisions taken in their local area. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill introduces a late night levy where 70% of the net revenue raised will be passed to the police by licensing authorities who choose to implement it. The police could use this revenue to pay for late night policing linked to alcohol related crime and disorder. In addition, the amendments to early morning restriction orders will assist the police and local authorities to take action that reflects the needs of their local communities in policing the night time economy.
Vetting
Mr Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how much money was received by the Criminal Records Bureau in income from fees from each type of registered body and umbrella group in 2009-10; [37444]
(2) how many Criminal Records Bureau disclosures were issued for each type of registered body and umbrella group in 2009-10. [37445]
Lynne Featherstone: In 2009-10 the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) received a total income of £123 million from fees. Information relating to fees is held on a separate system from that which provides the figures for the number of certificates issued therefore the Bureau is unable to provide a breakdown in the format requested.
During this period the Bureau issued 4,294,977 certificates to Registered Bodies. Of these, 2,495,017 were issued to organisations that are known to operate an Umbrella Body service. I should also note that 933,271 applications were for voluntary positions which the Bureau issues free of charge.
I should explain that there is no legal definition of an Umbrella Body. These are Registered Bodies that are willing to submit applications on behalf of other organisations that are not eligible to submit CRB checks themselves.
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund to the UK biodiversity target. [37357]
Richard Benyon: Although no separate assessment has been made of the contribution of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) itself, the Mineral Restoration Potential Project, which was funded by the Fund, found that minerals sites could make a very significant contribution to UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) targets for habitat creation. Some of the priority habitats which could most benefit are shown in the following table:
| Priority habitat | Potential contribution made by England mineral sites to BAP target (ha) | Potential contribution made by England mineral sites to BAP target (%) |
The ALSF has also supported the Natural After Minerals Project to develop a strategic partnership between Natural England, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and minerals companies to help take advantage of this opportunity. The ALSF evaluation identified six projects in the period between 2008 and 2011 that have contributed to BAP targets as shown in the following table:
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent through the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund in each English region in the latest year for which figures are available. [37395]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 31 January 2011]: Since its inception in 2002, delivery partners for the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) have been required to report data on projects to DEFRA, including in which region those projects have taken place. Some projects do not take place in a single region because they are either nationally relevant (e.g. research and development projects), trans-regional or marine projects. The following table accounts for the £96 million invested in projects taking place in a single region.
| ALSF projects by English region | ||
| Region | £ million | Percentage |
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent through the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund in each financial year since 2001-02; and what her forecast is of expenditure in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12. [37399]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 31 January 2011]: The following table shows the total allocation and spend since the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund's (ALSF) inception in 2002.
| Total expenditure (£million) | |
The decision made from the last comprehensive spending review was to discontinue the ALSF at the end of the current financial year. The forecast for the end of 2010-11 is £16.1 million; after the end of this year the programme will have ended so no forecast is available for 2011-12. However, DEFRA will be making up to £225,000 available for a small project next year-the purpose of which is to ensure findings from £60 million already invested in ALSF Research and Development are collated and made accessible for all through a professional website tool which will be ran and maintained by the Mineral Industry Research Organisation.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund; and if she will make a statement. [37400]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 31 January 2011]: An independent evaluation of the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) programme of work for the years 2008-11 was recently carried out by the in-house policy resource unit. Overall, the evaluation was positive in that the programme delivered against its objectives and did provide value for money. The evaluation can be viewed on the DEFRA ALSF web pages at:
However, during the spending review, and against other departmental priorities, DEFRA concluded that the ASLF did not represent a core activity for the Department, and, therefore, funding could not continue beyond the current financial year. This decision should not detract from the excellent work that has been undertaken by delivery partners, and for which the Department is very grateful.
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what consultations her Department has conducted on the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund in the last 12 months. [37401]
Richard Benyon [holding answer 31 January 2011]: No specific consultations were undertaken on the decision to discontinue the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF) which was taken in the light of broader departmental spending priorities as part of the spending review. However, an independent evaluation of the ALSF programme of work for the years 2008-11 was recently carried out by the In House Policy Resource unit, and the results are available on the ALSF pages on the DEFRA website at:
All the relevant delivery partners, industry and professional bodies were consulted through the process of drawing this evaluation together.
Air Pollution: Legal Costs
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of litigation and fines in respect of the UK's air quality exceedances of (a) particulate matter and (b) nitrogen dioxide. [37712]
Richard Benyon: The UK seeks to comply with EU law and the Government made a commitment in the coalition agreement to work towards EU air quality standards. We are making great efforts to ensure that we do so.
The Commission is able to request the European Court to impose a daily fine, a lump sum fine, or both. As a guide to the levels which have been set by the Commission, a daily fine is calculated by multiplying a uniform flat rate (currently €640) by coefficients for seriousness and duration, and then multiplying this figure by a special factor for each member state, which for the UK has been set at 18.31. The minimum lump sum fine (for the UK) is set at €9.666 million.
Current European Commission guidance (Commission Communication SEC (2005) 1658 as updated by Commission Communication SEC(2010) 923/3) sets out three criteria which are taken into account when calculating the level of fines. These are: the seriousness of the breach (which affects the lump sum only and can be a multiple of between 1 and 20), the duration of the breach (a multiple of between 1 and 3) and a deterrent factor designed to ensure the breach is rectified and the offence is not repeated. Each case is treated on its own merits, so it is extremely difficult to estimate the level of any fine.
Any litigation costs would depend on how far the case goes, and the scope of the issues involved. It is very difficult to estimate these in advance.
Animals: Advertising
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will bring forward proposals to regulate advertisements for the sale of pets (a) on the internet and (b) in newspapers; and if she will make a statement. [36710]
Mr Paice: There are no proposals to regulate advertising the sale of pets on the internet or in newspapers specifically. To regulate and police internet adverts would, even if it were feasible, require a considerable investment of resources. I am not satisfied that the net welfare benefits could justify Government giving further consideration to intervention in this area. With regard to newspaper adverts, welfare organisations have worked constructively with the newspaper industry to encourage self-policing and to raise customer awareness of what they should do when responding to small adverts. I am very grateful to those newspapers that have now decided to take positive steps to promote animal welfare and protect the interests of their readers. I do not consider that further action by Government is either feasible or necessary.
Animals: Licensing
Mr Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of arrangements for licensing animal dealers; and if she will make a statement. [36701]
Mr Paice: The Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended in 1983) controls the sale of all animals as pets from licensed premises. The 1951 Act requires any person selling pet animals to be licensed by the local authority. Before granting a licence, the authority must satisfy itself that the animals are kept in accommodation that is suitable and clean, that they are supplied with the appropriate food and drink, and are protected from disease and fire.
The maximum penalty under the 1951 Act is a fine of £500 and/or three months' imprisonment. If a person is convicted under the Act or for any offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, a court may cancel any pet shop licence or disqualify a person from keeping a pet shop for any period as the court thinks fit. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is the principal piece of legislation protecting all domestic and captive animals, in England and Wales. Under the 2006 Act, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to-or fail to provide for the welfare needs of-any domestic or captive animal.
I am satisfied that the legislation currently in place relating to the selling of pet animals provides local authorities with the necessary powers to ensure that the welfare of animals is maintained.
Bees: Public Expenditure
Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review on the number of bee inspectors; and if she will make a statement. [36529]
Mr Paice: DEFRA has not yet finalised the funding allocations to individual programmes. It is not therefore possible at this time to confirm the implications of the comprehensive spending review on the Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit's bee inspectorate.
Biodiversity
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the current status is of the UK target to halt biodiversity loss by 2010. [37356]
Richard Benyon: The target to halt biodiversity loss by 2010 was an EU-wide one. The Commission reported in October last year that the EU had missed it. The UK provided details to the Commission on progress towards the target in early 2010. This showed that the decline in biodiversity had slowed and in some cases had been halted or reversed but that there remained a lot more to do. The EU has agreed a successor target to halt biodiversity loss and the degradation of ecosystem services by 2020. A strategy to deliver this new target is currently in preparation.
Departmental Marketing
Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available. [37242]
Richard Benyon: DEFRA has not produced drinks coasters in either this or the previous financial year. There are no records available which indicate that coasters were produced prior to this.
Departmental Procurement
Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what single tender contracts her Department has awarded since her appointment; and what the monetary value is of each contract above the EU public procurement threshold. [36183]
Richard Benyon: From information held centrally by the core Department and its executive agencies, the following information is available on single tender contracts.
(a) Single Tender contracts awarded since 12 May 2010-24, with a total value of £1,732,863.46, average contract value £66,648.59.
(b) Of these, nine contracts have expired/completed.
(c) Of the remaining 15 contracts, two complete before the end of this fiscal year.
(d) There is one Single Tender contract above the OJEU threshold in the period of £770,000 which is for follow up work to complete an assignment previously awarded on a competitive tendering exercise under the EU procurement aggregation rules.
(a) The Rural Payments Agency has awarded three single tenders since 12 May 2010 with a total value of £3,113,841, as follows:
£2,115,000-Map Digitising
£994,000-e-channel Extension
£4,841-LEAN Training (method for business improvement that focuses on the reduction of variation in all work processes)
(b) Two of the contracts, Map Digitizing and e-channel extension, were above the Official Journal European Union threshold.
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
(a) Single Tender contract Awarded since 12 May 2010-eight, with a total value of £82,805, average contract value £10,351.
(b) Of these, two contracts have expired/completed.
(c) Of the remaining six contracts, one completes before the end of this fiscal year.
(d) There are no Single Tender contract above the OJEU threshold in the period.
Food and Environment Research Agency
(a) Fera is a science-based organisation. We do not collate specific information about Single Tender contracts, concentrating on those areas where we do operate competitive tenders. We seek competitive pricing for all purchases in excess of £5,000 for goods and £20,000 for services where the product/service is provided by more than one supplier.
(b) There have been no Single Tender Actions above the OJEU threshold for Fera during this period.
Veterinary Laboratories Agency
There have been no Single Tender contracts for these two organisations.
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